13474 research outputs found
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Critical discursive perspective on the representations of George Floyd and Derek Chauvin in CNN and Fox News / Tan Ching Ling
No full textThe killing of George Floyd, an unarmed civilian African American on May 25, 2020, by Derek Chauvin, a former white Minneapolis police officer who refused to lift his knee off Floyd’s neck shone a spotlight on the longstanding police brutality against African Americans in U.S. and reignited the global Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement which began in 2013. To date, there is a lack of studies that provide in-depth insights, from a linguistic and discursive perspective, into U.S. news media’s portrayal of George Floyd and Derek Chauvin. Hence, this critical discourse study employed the Discourse Historical Approach (DHA) to shed light on how, the left-leaning CNN and the right-leaning Fox News represented the social actors - by looking closely at the use of the five discursive strategies, namely the nomination, predication, argumentation, perspectivization, and intensification and mitigation strategies in the news articles. The selected articles were published between May 25, 2020, and May 25, 2023, and the selection was limited to those centred on the key events following Floyd’s death. The analysis revealed the positive representation of George Floyd in both sets of data. Although both news outlets depicted Chauvin as a disgrace to the U.S. police force, Fox News went on to humanise Chauvin and mitigated his past misconducts. The findings of this study provide further understanding on how the selected partisan U.S. news media influence its readers’ perception of the social actors over the span of three years
A study on adoption of blockchain-based VAT e-Invoicing system among tax managers in China / Feng Yueyang
No full textElectronic invoicing has emerged as a streamlined and efficient alternative to traditional paper-based invoicing, bringing about enhanced business operations, accountability, and reduced manual invoicing costs. The integration of Blockchain technology has further bolstered the efficiency and security of electronic invoicing. Despite its manifold advantages, the adoption of electronic invoicing systems by companies remains modest. This study aimed to discern the determinants influencing the adoption of the Blockchainbased VAT e-invoicing system in firms by employing the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. A survey was conducted among 312 enterprises that had already embraced electronic invoicing. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software, encompassing Facilitating Conditions, Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Perceived Fairness, Tax Compliance Cost, and Regulatory Support. The investigation affirmed that these factors exerted a positive or negative impact on the acceptance of the Blockchain-based VAT e-invoicing system. Among these factors, social influence emerged as the most influential, signifying the power of peer opinions, expectations, and behaviours in an individual's adoption of a technology or system. Notably, this study was confined to companies that had already adopted the Blockchain-based VAT e-invoicing system. To enhance the depth of inquiry, future research could differentiate between adopters and non-adopters, elucidating the factors that either foster or hinder adoption. This differentiation could unveil subgroups within each category, facilitating the exploration of variations in attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions. Such an approach would yield refined theoretical frameworks and tailored interventions. The study's insights have potential implications for tax authorities and e-invoicing providers, aiding in the promotion of system adoption. Practically, this study furnishes guidance to tax authorities and e-invoicing providers in propelling the adoption of the Blockchain-based VAT einvoicing system. By pinpointing key factors, tax authorities can devise targeted strategies for improved acceptance. The study underscores the technology's capacity to yield tangible advantages for both enterprises and tax authorities. It enhances compliance, transparency, and operational efficiency for tax authorities, while companies benefit from reduced costs and heightened operational efficacy. In summation, this study offers substantial contributions. It guides e-invoicing providers and tax authorities in advancing the Blockchain-based VAT e-invoicing system's adoption. Moreover, through the identification of influential determinants, it enables the construction of specialized tactics for heightened system acceptance. Ultimately, the study underscores the potential for technology-driven solutions to yield mutually beneficial outcomes for enterprises and tax authorities alike
The lived experiences of male early childhood teachers in Shenzhen, China / Ji Yueyang
No full textThis study explores the lived experiences of male early childhood teachers (MECTs) in Shenzhen, China, focusing on how they navigate occupational gender stereotypes in a female-dominated field. The problem addressed is the significant gender imbalance in early childhood education (ECE) and the societal biases that undervalue male participation. The objectives are to understand the challenges and advantages experienced by MECTs, investigate how MECTs make sense of their lived experiences, and explore their perceptions of their roles in ECE.
The methodology involves a qualitative, phenomenological approach, utilizing in-depth interviews and reflective journals to gather data. This approach allows for a deep understanding of the participants’ experiences and the meanings they attach to these experiences.
Findings indicate that MECTs face significant challenges, including societal bias, low salary, and low status. They often experience prejudice from various societal groups, with younger individuals focusing on low income and older individuals viewing the profession as requiring less competence. Despite these challenges, MECTs also find unique advantages, such as preferential treatment in job recruitment and a strong bond with children.
The conclusion emphasizes the need for increased societal awareness and support for MECTs to promote gender diversity in ECE. By understanding and addressing the occupational gender stereotypes that MECTs face, it is possible to create a more inclusive and equitable educational environment for all children
Strategic leadership, parental intention and behaviour for private education institutions in Klang Valley: An explanatory sequential research / Tan Shin Mei
No full textThe study focuses on private education in Malaysia, an area with limited research. As the number of private schools increases, it is essential to delve into how private school leadership, along with external factors such as parental beliefs, contributes to shaping parents' intentions and behavior regarding private schooling. This study also explores the role of socioeconomic backgrounds in moderating these intentions and behaviours among Chinese vernacular school parents. Additionally, the study examines the alignment of these findings with the perspectives of private school leaders, who serve as frontline figures in navigating the challenges of this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world. The research design involves a mixed-method approach, which consists of 2 phases. The first phase of the study employed a quantitative survey design to gather perceptions and opinions from parents of standard six students in Chinese vernacular schools in Klang Valley using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) questionnaire. Second phase of the study conducted qualitative interviews with private school principals to gain their perspectives on the quantitative findings and their roles as strategic leaders. Quantitative analysis of the data uncovered that parents exhibit a heightened degree of behavioral belief, influenced significantly by the leadership within the school. Meanwhile, their normative belief stands at a lower level, and their control belief is situated at a moderate level. All three beliefs significantly influenced parents' intentions and behaviours toward private schooling, with control belief having the strongest impact. Moreover, the study found that household income moderates the relationship between parents' intentions and behaviours in private schooling. In the qualitative findings, it was discovered that private school principals adeptly navigate a challenging and dynamic educational landscape with strategic acumen. Three major themes — "maintain," "improve," and "implement" — were identified as pivotal in enhancing parents' inclination toward private schooling. These themes underscore the significance of upholding reputation, enhancing educational quality and facilities, and implementing innovative strategies to attract and retain students. The perspectives of these principals provide valuable insights into effective private school management, offering guidance for informed educational policy decisions. The study highlights that financial ability, as a component of control belief, strongly influences parents' intentions and behaviours. This suggests that the growth of private schools in urban areas may exacerbate social disparities and educational inequalities between affluent and underprivileged families. To tackle this issue, the Ministry of Education could contemplate incorporating the study's findings into the formulation of policies aimed at improving public schools. This might involve fostering collaborations through private-public partnerships and leveraging the entrepreneurial initiatives exhibited by strategic private school principals. In conclusion, the research yields comprehensive insights into private school strategic leadership and the role of private schools in Malaysia's education system. By comprehending the factors influencing parents' preferences and recognizing the impact of entrepreneurship in strategic leadership, policymakers can foster a more equitable, holistic, and sustainable educational ecosystem for all Malaysians
Interactions between suicide mortality and unemployment, health and religion in Southeast Asia / Muhammad Shauki Mohammad Raduan
No full textThe Covid-19 pandemic has been linked to a rise in suicide mortality, and while many researchers are studying the determinants of suicide, data limitations have hindered progress. This study attempts to provide insights on the determinants of suicide mortality, including the role of religion, using quintile regression. The results reveal several interesting findings that can help policymakers formulate strategies to address this issue. Firstly, there is a positive relationship between urban populations and suicide rates in Southeast Asia. With rising urbanisation in major cities, such as Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur in Southeast Asia, plenty of additional problems have to be addressed by the Southeast Asian governments. These problems include housing, congestion, and the escalating cost of living. One solution to this issue is creating employment opportunities in rural areas to minimize migration to urban areas. Secondly, this study found a positive correlation between unemployment and suicide mortality rates, particularly among females. Governmental bodies in Southeast Asian countries need to find immediate solutions to the problem of unemployment as it can minimize the number of unemployed individuals. Unemployment may lead to mental health issues such as depression and eventually suicide ideation. Thirdly, improved access to healthcare facilities is highly beneficial. Mental health professionals are concentrated mainly in urban areas, leading to uneven access to healthcare facilities in the rural parts of Southeast Asia. Governments in Southeast Asia need to ensure even distribution of healthcare professionals, including general healthcare professionals and mental health professionals to enable immediate action during times of crisis. Finally, this study found that a strong religious foundation can help individuals weather challenges. Governments in Southeast Asia should encourage a strong religious foundation to citizens, embedding positive values in their early childhood years. Overall, this study provides policymakers with critical insights into the determinants of suicide mortality, enabling them to formulate strategies to address this important issue
Ejen Ali and worldbuilding: The case of transmedia production in Malaysian animation industry / Umar Hakim Mohd Hasri
No full textThis study examines Ejen Ali franchise, a prominent Malaysian animation series, through the lens of transmedia storytelling and worldbuilding theories. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, this research delves into how Wau Animation, the franchise's primary producer, orchestrates content across various media formats to extend the narrative universe of Ejen Ali. The study investigates the integration of diverse media platforms in narrative construction and the practical strategies employed by the production team to align theoretical frameworks with actual production practices. By focusing on the interplay between transmedia storytelling and worldbuilding, this research highlights the mechanisms through which Ejen Ali's storyworld is constructed and expanded. Furthermore, it situates these findings within the broader context of the Malaysian animation industry, offering insights into local practices and their contribution to the global understanding of transmedia narratives. Through interviews and content analysis, this study illustrates the exploratory and collaborative nature of worldbuilding implemented by Wau Animation in the development of Ejen Ali franchise as transmedia content. The findings of this study not only map the transmedia features of Ejen Ali but also bridges the gap between academic theory and industry practice, enhancing the clarity and relevance of transmedia studies within a Malaysian context
Development and validation of sadness regulation scale for adults in Yemen / Sumaia Mohammed Radman Zaid
No full textAddressing the lack of measurement tools available to assess the strategies adults use to
regulate sadness, this mixed-methods study developed and validated adults’ sadness
regulation scale (ASRS) within the Yemeni context. In particular, the qualitative study (n
= 20 participants) focused on identifying the ASRS factors and items, whereas the
quantitative study focused on testing the corresponding psychometric properties. The
quantitative study consisted of a pilot study (n = 240 respondents) and the actual data
collection (n = 492 respondents). All data from the pilot study were subjected to
exploratory factor analysis (EFA), while data from the actual data collection were
subjected to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Based on the qualitative findings,
Yemeni adults use 11 strategies to regulate sadness: religious coping, seeking emotional
or social support, distraction, cognitive reappraisal, acceptance, adaptive responses to
sadness, expressive suppression, substance-based sadness regulation, avoidance,
rumination, and dysregulated sadness expressions. Meanwhile, the EFA results revealed
eight psychometrically valid and interpretable ASRS subfactors (56 items), which
explained 48.697% of the total variance. Based on the CFA results, ASRS appeared to be
better represented by the second-order model with seven subfactors and 36 items.
Furthermore, concurrent validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were
partially met in this study. The developed scale recorded Cronbach alpha’s coefficient of
0.78. With that, this study presented significant implications on emotional education
interventions that serve to improve adults’ skills in controlling negative emotions and
managing their responses to these emotions
An overview of syndromic orofacial CLEFT in combined CLEFT clinic Universiti Malaya from 2000 – 2020 / Devi Aulia Aidil
No full textIntroduction: Syndromic orofacial cleft is not a typical encounter and poses significant
challenges to clinicians in regard to the patient’s management due to underlying
comorbidities. Objectives: This study aims to describe the prevalence of syndromes and
congenital anomalies associated with orofacial cleft, to determine the types of cleft
associated with syndromic and nonsyndromic orofacial cleft patients, to compare the
treatment timeline of primary cleft lip and palate repair in syndromic and nonsyndromic
orofacial cleft patients with standard guidelines and to determine the complications
encountered in managing syndromic orofacial cleft patients. Materials and methods:
This is a 20-year retrospective study involving 676 patients. The patient’s clinical data
was extracted. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence
of different variables. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test were performed to determine the
significant association in the age of primary lip and palate repair of syndromic and
nonsyndromic patients. All data were analysed using SPSS version 29. Results: The total
number of syndromic patients was 11.4% and nonsyndromic was 88.6%. Unilateral cleft
lip and palate (39.4%) is the most common subtype in nonsyndromic orofacial cleft
patients. For syndromic orofacial cleft patients, cleft palate (67.5%) is highly prevalent.
Pierre Robin sequence (37.66%) is the most common syndrome associated with orofacial
cleft. The most common congenital anomaly in orofacial cleft patients is the circulatory
system (22.3%). In syndromic patients, face, mouth or teeth anomalies (22.2%) are highly
observed. Syndromic orofacial cleft patients have a significant delay in primary lip repair.
Most complications of primary repair in syndromic orofacial cleft patients are related to
airway issues, pyrexia and bronchopneumonia. Conclusion: The prevalence of syndromes and congenital anomalies in orofacial cleft patients attending Combined Cleft
Clinic, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya is comparable to previous studies. Routine
screening for congenital anomalies is recommended, especially in syndromic orofacial
cleft patients. The data on differences in treatment timing for primary repair in syndromic
patients can be used as a guide in consultations with parents
Predictive model on wind-driven rainwater collections at curtain wall façades of tall buildings towards new vertical rainwater harvesting systems in tropical urban setting / Mozhgan Samzadeh
No full textRecent extreme precipitation events in frequency and intensity and increasing impervious surfaces – horizontally and vertically – in urban areas due to rapid horizontal and vertical expansion of built-up areas have resulted in increasing rainfall-runoff volume, amplifying urban flooding, as well as freshwater scarcity. Buildings can become more water-sustainable by adopting rainwater harvesting (RWH), which is a readily available alternative freshwater supply. However, the impact of vertical developments (a) on city level has resulted in distortion of the runoff process, 3D flow pattern, and sub-basin division, and (b) on building level has diminished the applicability of horizontal rooftop RWH because the ratio of roof surface area to vertical façade surface area has reduced significantly in tall buildings and roof RWH has been mainly replaced with roof garden concept.
In light of these challenges, this research aims to evaluate the possibility of incorporating curtainwall building façades into an existing catchment area for Wind-Driven Rain (WDR) harvesting. This would divert WDR loads from the avenue runoff. This study employed (1) one-year in-situ measurement to quantify WDR amounts on building façades (rainfall-runoff) in urban areas and (2) semi-empirical models to predict the spatial distribution of WDR loads. In-situ measurements of WDR amount (Swdr) and meteorological parameters, i.e., wind direction (D), wind speed (U), and horizontal rainfall (Sh), were performed on a pilot building at the campus of Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The influence of local wind speed (U) and horizontal rainfall intensity (Rh) on WDR intensity (Rwdr) was analysed. After the data cleaning process, only 65 out of 93 rain events were confirmed to be valid in-situ datasets for model validation. The Rwdr was subsequently calculated by the WDR equations of the semi-empirical models, i.e., ISO standard 15927-3 and ASHRAE standard 160P. The accuracy performance of both models to predict Rwdr were analysed mainly through analytical comparative assessments, i.e., coefficient of determinations (R²) and normalised root mean square deviation (NRMSD) between the in-situ dataset and the calculated dataset of Rwdr (mm/h). Through the cross-multiplication method using in-situ datasets and semi-empirical models’ datasets, the proposed WDR coefficients were determined for ISO (α) and ASHRAE (FL) models to predict the spatial distribution of WDR on tall building façades (up to > 50 m) in Kuala Lumpur. The results declared that the higher the building façade height, the greater the harvested Rwdr would be. The ISO model predicted 56% to 70% for non-potable usage reduction per square metre (lcd) at heights less than 10 metres to greater than 10 metres, respectively. The ASHRAE model predicted 57% to 109% for non-potable usage reduction per square metre (lcd) at heights less than 10 metres to greater than 50 metres, respectively. This research output, combined with further experimental investigations on actual tall building curtain walls, may lead to the adoption of vertical rainwater harvesting as a feasible method for water sustainability in tall buildings. The generated in-situ dataset can also be subjected to computational fluid dynamic analysis and model validation for WDR research in building science
Degradation of solid pharmaceutical waste using superoxide radical ion generated in ionic liquid/aprotic solvent mixture systems / Saba Humayun
No full textEnvironmental contamination by pharmaceuticals is on the rise, ensuing levels which are imminent globally. While the alleged harmful effects of drug waste are being rapidly substantiated at present, the development of effective and ‘greener’ techniques to degrade pharmaceuticals is a new challenge. This study explores a method using superoxide ion (O2●−) as the reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the degradation of APIs. Owing to the simplicity of its chemical structure and extensive research on the degradation of acetaminophen via various ROS, it was chosen for investigation as a model drug pollutant to thoroughly explore the advanced oxidation method. With an aim to further explore the universality of the oxidation process under investigation, the degradation of some other representative drug compounds was also examined; carbamazepine (CBM) and riluzole (RLZ) were additionally selected as target contaminants. The applicability of this oxidative degradation method on various pharmaceutical substances was validated using binary mixture systems consisting of butyltriethylammonium [BTEAmm+], triethylpentylammonium [PTEAmm+] and octyltriethylammonium [OTEAmm+] cations with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [TFSI−] anion-based hydrophobic ionic liquids (ILs) and acetonitrile (AcN) as an aprotic solvent (ApS). The ILs and AcN were used in varied combinations to generate O2 ●− for subsequent in-situ degradation of APIs. The O2 ●− was chemically generated by the dissolution of potassium superoxide (KO2) in [BTEAmm+][TFSI−]/AcN, [PTEAmm+][TFSI−]/AcN, [OTEAmm+] [TFSI−]/AcN and [EMIm+][TFSI−]/AcN systems to achieve complete degradation of the drugs. The novelty ofthis work lies in the demonstration of using IL/ApS binary mixtures which allow API removal of up to 98.9% within 210 mins of reaction. The extent of degradation of APIs was analyzed via the HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) technique by investigating the influence of different parameters and operating conditions, such as the amount of oxidant, nature of cations in ILs, length of cationic alkyl chain, ratio of IL:can (constituency of binary mixture), reaction time and reaction temperature. The most efficient degradation of ACTM was observed to occur utilizing 10% [OTEAmm+]/AcN as the reaction medium with a KO2/ACTM molar ratio of 50 at RT. A characteristic peak at the wavelength of 258 nm in UV-visible spectrophotometry was indicative of the stable generation of O2 ●− species, which confirms its presence in certain reaction media used. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used in order to further validate O2 ●− as a major reactive oxygen species generated in selected aprotic media, as evidently indicated by the oxygen reduction peak in the cyclic voltammograms. The ILs were recycled and found to be reusable for up to five replica cycles without significant changes in the degradation efficiencies, depicting the high efficacy of the environmentally benign regenerated media. Moreover, the evaluation of TOC decay determined that complete mineralization of APIs was achieved under optimum conditions. Degradation mechanism pathways for the pharmaceutical compounds were proposed based on LCMS analysis for the identification of intermediate transformation products resulting from drug oxidation. This work will serve to instigate further progression in the direct use of O2 ●− as a suitable alternative approach for environmental remediation pertaining to pharmaceutical contaminants